Media Report

Taking your blood pressure at home is a proven way to get a reliable result, and a handy way to keep tabs on your health. Hypertension is the No. 1 reason for doctor visits in this country, and one out of three Americans has the problem. Taking a reading at home also increases compliance with blood-pressure medications and lifestyle factors because it shows if readings are edging back into the danger zone, according to research by Dr. Nancy Artinian, associate dean for research at Wayne State University’s College of Nursing. “If people are feeling well, they may not see the need for treatment,” Artinian says. “A home measurement provides a cue that blood pressure is high.”